UPPSALA,
SWEDEN, December 16, 2013 – Mercodia AB has today signed a licensing agreement
with HyTest Finland, which gives Sweden-based Mercodia exclusive rights to
develop, manufacture and sell research assays using HyTest's patented IGFBP-4
fragment technology. Initial studies have shown that detection of IGFBP-4
fragments could serve as a predictor of near-term risk of acute coronary
syndromes and stroke.

"There
is an increasing need for new risk markers in cardiovascular disease", says
Mona Österberg (CEO of Mercodia AB). She adds, "HyTest's IGFBP-4 fragment
technology is a new tool with great potential and the collaboration with HyTest
offers the possibility to be in the front line of CVD diagnostics
development".

Maria
Severina (CEO of HyTest) comments, "Bringing new diagnostic markers to the
market is increasingly demanding and requires scientific studies to evaluate
the value of a new marker". She adds, "It is essential that these
studies are done using high quality assays and kits. Because of this
requirement, we chose to work with Mercodia. In addition, their existing
product portfolio overlaps with our new technology and this creates valuable
synergies.”

Mercodia AB is a Swedish biotech company focusing
on the development of highly reproducible and specific ELISA assays within the
field of metabolic disorders. Mercodia
is a world-leading supplier to all major international markets and provides a
professional scientific support system to develop unique diagnostics for
emerging markets as well as novel applications for existing products. The
facilities include a GLP-compliant laboratory and a customized assay
development core managed by an extensive quality system and ISO 13485 for
manufacturing medical devices.

About
HyTest Finland

Finland-based HyTest manufactures
monoclonal antibodies and antigens, which are key raw materials used by the IVD
industry for their laboratory tests and kits. HyTest is the leading provider of
certain cardiac, metabolic syndrome and infectious diseases detection-related
raw materials and its primary customers are industrial IVD companies and the
research community worldwide.

Mercodia is a world-leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of high quality immunoassay kits. We specialize in ELISA assays for clinical as well as research applications, notably within diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. We offer assays applicable in both human and animal models. For more information visit www.mercodia.com.&nbsp;